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Kenya has joined other riparian states in petitioning the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to eliminate worldwide subsidies to the fishing sector to reduce over fishing within its water resources. Increased subsidies from the world trade body to the sector has triggered massive fishing activities that is now threatening to deplete the available fish stocks, said the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute.
This, coupled with massive pollution on water masses due to growing industrialisation and destruction of breeding areas has denied fish species the chance to reproduce and occasioned a sharp drop in their population.
The move has seen more funds availed to support the development of fishing capacity such as boats, fuel, equipment and other operational costs at the expense of the fish population.
"Over fishing is the single most largest threat to the survival of the industry and unless the WTO eliminates the massive subsidies it provides to the sector across the globe we are going to see this practice go on un abetted and we risk clearing entire fish population," said KEMFRI board member Dr. Simon Hemphill.
Statistics indicate that global fisheries subsidies amount to US$34 billion annually, and at least $20 billion go directly towards supporting fishing capacity such as boats, fuel and equipments. The subsidies equal approximately 25% of worldwide fishing revenue.
These subsides are not only a major driver of over fishing, but also promote other destructive fishing practices such as trawling, a practice so environmentally-destructive that the UN has called on nations to severely restrict.
Subsidies have also been documented to support illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing - a serious impediment to achieving sustainable fisheries.
Dr. Hemphill said Kenya‘s fish population was under severe threat thus the need to cut down on the subsidies to ensure sustainable fishing.
"We have seen stocks dwindling both in Lake Victoria and at Indian Ocean in the coast. We must move with speed to tame this destruction by adopting prudent policies that will promote the industry," he said.
Last year, the fishing industry raked in some Ksh6.5 in revenue mainly from exports to the lucrative European Union market where the Nile Perch species is on high demand for its highly nutritious value. The government has also embarked on a programme to device prudent intervention measures aimed at reducing pressure on its water bodies by educating the fishermen on alternative economic activities other than fishing with a view of giving the fish stocks time to replenish. Source:
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